India’s batsmen once again showed that when it comes to batting for time and saving a game, they cannot be relied upon to do so. That a team with a top batting order with over 36,000 runs is not able to bat for 60 overs is an indication of the lack of application and the attitude that is needed to bat to save the game. It’s not the first time it has happened this year, and for the year to end as it did for India is sad indeed.
No praise can be too high for the Indian bowlers who have not only bowled their hearts out in tough conditions, but also showed tremendous application to try and delay the end. If only the more accomplished batsmen had shown the same attitude, India could well have gone into the New Year Test with the chance of not losing the Test series. Yes, they can still do it, but it will need a superhuman effort to pull themselves up from the low that such a defeat can bring about mentally.
The Indians may have suffered from a few umpiring errors and that too at crucial times, but that’s part of the game and needs to be taken in one’s stride. Some of the shots that were attempted defied belief in the context of the situation of the match. Wasim Jaffer’s attempt to hook a short ball as if India were doing the chasing rather than looking at saving the game does bring into question his temperament. Sehwag is quite clearly out of sorts with his game, and his body language is not encouraging either, and India will have to look at a change at the top of the order. Jaffer looked solid while he was at the crease, but his shot selection in both innings here was not Test-class. The skipper got tough decisions in both innings and so cannot be blamed at all. Tendulkar played across the line, as did Laxman, to lose their wickets, and Ganguly in the time he was at the crease was like a cat on a hot tin roof, so jumpy he was at the prospect of playing the climbing ball. Mahendra Singh Dhoni played some fine shots and looked very good while he was at the crease, but his expansive shot just a couple of minutes before tea was not necessary at that stage of the innings. What was heartening was the efforts of Anil Kumble and Zaheer Khan who gritted their way, taking blows on the body and their bowling hand. They hung around and had to be prised out. That was the kind of attitude that was required from the main batsmen, but it was sadly missing, and that’s what landed India in the sorry state of losing the Test. Makhaya Ntini bowled splendidly as he got the ball to lift. He created angles that made life tough for the batsmen. At the other end, Andre Nel also bowled with sustained hostility that was simply too much for the Indian batsmen. And though Pollock did not take wickets, he was relentlessly at the batsmen, not giving them any easy runs. Andrew Hall picked up wickets at vital times, and though he may have to make way for Kallis if the latter is fit for the last Test, he too played an important part in the win. South Africa may also look to go back to Dale Steyn if he is fully fit, because he has the pace and the ability to swing the ball away from the right-hander. Morkel did nothing wrong on his Test debut, but he still has a lot to learn, and he will definitely be a player for South Africa in the future.
India will also need to rethink its XI for the last Test; for starters, the openers and the third paceman. VRV Singh, like Morkel, did little wrong, but Munaf Patel is clearly the better bowler, and so has to play if India want to chip away at the fragile top order of the home team.
It’s a do-or-die situation for both teams, and with the Cape Town pitch noted for being batting-friendly, there could well be lots of runs for the batsmen of both teams after some lean times in the first two Tests. India have a chance to win a series for the first time in South Africa, but the home team will be fired up after their series-levelling win in Durban. It promises to be a Test to watch, and an ideal way in which to begin the New Year.
